For Want of a Therapist
by UnknownUnseenUnheard
Summary: Katsuki's behavior doesn't go unnoticed, especially when he decides to 'show Deku his place' right in front of their parents. So, the logical choice is to put the boy in therapy, and the world tilts sideways
1. A Very Difficult Case

A/N: So, this was inspired by a scene in the manga. Without giving too much away, Katsuki, as punishment for being his usual self, is forced to watch over a bunch of preschoolers

His response?

He wanted to find their leader, string them up, and force the other kids to stone them. Why? Because, apparently, this is how he was raised, and he finds this perfectly acceptable behavior and wonders why anyone else is questioning it.

Sure, it's played for laughs, but it was a bit disturbing look into his mind set. As such, this story was born

Also, who should the Therapist be? I could either use an original character, or someone from another fandom for it. Or hell, one from this fandom, but I don't see many characters fitting the bill. Hm...

Published: 2/09/2018

Warnings: Katsuki's mouth

* * *

 ** **Chapter 1****

 **A Very Difficult Case**

Weak. Weak, weak, pathetic, weak.

He was so weak. Pitiful. So disgusting. So appalling. That whimpering, crying face. Him, a hero? That pathetic fucking nerd, amount to anything?

Deku was Deku. A useless little shit, whimpering and crying. Whimpering and crying and reaching out towards him, because Katsuki had fallen and Deku, stupid fucking Deku, was worried about him. Concerned for him.

Looking down on him.

Stupid Deku, who couldn't take care of himself, worried, his eyes so wide and honest.

Katsuki hated it. He hated it with an undying passion. With all his heart, because what was that pathetic powerless nerd going to do in a world like this?

Powerless.

That's exactly what Deku was.

Powerless.

Defenseless.

Pathetic.

Weak.

Ordinary.

In a world of heroes and villains, powers and abilities, Deku had none. Deku was Quirkless. In a world like this, we're almost every single person had a skill or ability that made them special, Deku had none. None at all, yet there he stood, dreams and aspirations shining in his eyes, a cool determination driving his every step. Determined to make it forth, determined to be something more. To be a hero.

Stupid fucking Deku.

Didn't he understand?

He was going to get himself fucking killed. That's all that would happen. Katsuki was doing him a favor, really, not that Deku could appreciate it, evidently.

So, Katsuki beat him down, time and time again. Learn your lesson, learn your place. The world isn't good and evil, no matter what stupid fucking delusions Deku had about the whole thing. It's strong and weak, and Izuko has always been weak, has always been a pathetic spry of a kid that's under the delusion that he's strong.

Downright fucking moronic, if you asked Katsuki. Moronic and liable to get him killed if he kept pushing it, which was exactly why Katsuki kept pushing the nerd right back down.

Which was exactly what he told the stupid bitch of a therapist that they were forcing him to see.

Leaning back in his chair, the seven year old felt pleased with his assessments. Surely this woman would agree. Why were his fucking parents making him do this in the first place anyways?

All he had done was show Deku his fucking place in front of them and Deku's mom. That useless loser should be thrilled that Katsuki was taking the time and effort to help him learn his real role in the world before he got himself killed.

Smirking, Katsuki looked up, expecting to be showered in praise as usual for his quick and effective thought process.

Instead, the therapist was looking at him with unmasked horror. The hell? Therapists weren't suppose to do that, Katsuki was sure. Yeah, he didn't know much about them, but weren't they supposed to be like, super controlled advice giver people?

If anything, he'd walked in here expecting her to give him tips into finally convincing that dumbass Deku to finally give up on that stupid fucking dream of his before it got him killed.

"Who… Who taught you to think like that, my boy?" The therapist asked instead.

Katsuki looked at her as if she was a fucking moron. Nah, scratch that. She was totally a fucking moron.

"My mom, duh! Violence solves everything!" Katsuki declared, slamming his fist into his palm, a small explosion ringing in the office in response.

The therapist, for some reason, seemed to be even more apalled than before, and began to scribble away furiously on that notepad of hers. Huh. Weird. Whatever.

Katsuki titled his head.

Did she have a Quirk, he wondered? If she did, it was probably something useless if she was working in a place like this, but still.

The next day, Mitsuki Bakugou found herself all but dragged into the therapist's office.

"What the hell do you want? I was fucking busy, you stupid cunt! Just tell me how to get my kid to stop being a little asshole! I got things to do!"

The therapist gasped.

So… This was were the younger Bakugou had gained his vocabulary from, along with his ideals.

Oh dear.

This… Would not be an easy case. The boy didn't understand what he was doing wrong, the parent that had literally caused the situation and had brought the kid in to prevent it didn't even know what she was doing wrong, and this whole thing was one wild mess. Regardless, she would persevere, and make the best out of it. The fate of two little boys was at stake, and the therapist did take her job very seriously.


	2. The Discovery

A/N: So, I totally wrote this on my phone. Hm. It might have a few scattered mistakes. If I notice them, I'll take them out.

I'm glad you guys like the story so far! Anyways, here's the next chapter

Published: 2/10/2018

Warnings: Results of bullying

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **The Discovery**

Inko was running around her small little kitchen, dashing back and forth. Meal times were always important, but even more so when they're having company over. For the first time in years, she and Mitsuki were actually free at the same time, as was Masaru. So, Inko had invited the other two to come over.

Izuku would be thrilled. He and his 'Kacchan' always did get along from what Inko remembered.

Hm. Izuku had said Katsuki enjoyed spicy food, correct? Inko had to make something extra spicy for that boy.

It had been a while since she had had friends over. Ever since Hisashi had taken that job abroad, Inko had been so busy. True, he did send money back to her, but it wasn't the same. Inko would much prefer her husband here. Sometimes, she even wondered if Izuku remembered what his father looked like.

If not for pictures, she doubted Izuku would at all.

Because of Hisashi's absence, Inko hardly had time for anything really. She had bills to pay, on top of being a full time mom. True, she didn't have to work as much as other single parents, but still.

Inko didn't even realize for a second that she had mentally referred to herself as a single parent despite still being very much married.

Instead, she focused on chopping the vegetables.

"Mom! I'm home!"

Inko smiled. Setting down the knife, she washed her hands briefly before going to greet her son.

Izuku was her pride and joy. Yes, her precious baby didn't have a Quirk, but Inko was okay with that. Izuku didn't need a Quirk to be her special boy. Yes, Inko knew that it would be hard for him, especially in today's world and especially with Izuku's dreams of being a hero, but it didn't matter as far as Inko was concerned.

You didn't need to have a Quirk to be a hero. True, you needed one to be a Superhero, there was no doubt in her mind about that, but Izuku didn't need to be a Superhero. Her little boy was a genius. There were plenty of other paths her child could take, and Inko was determined to help him down them.

It was at that moment that Izuku came barreling down the hallway, not even bothering to greet her. Inko blinked. What in the world?

"Izuku!" Inko called out.

Her son paused, halfway down the hall as Inko entered said hall and walked towards him. A feeling of dread began to pool in her stomach as she noticed her son's trembling form.

"Izu-chan?"

His clothing looked ruffled, which wasn't anything new. Her son did enjoy rough housing with other boys, which was normal. He also liked to explore, and go on his adventures. A little dirt was simply normal for Izuku.

Him running through the house, not even bothering to greet her properly, however, was not normal. Izuku was still in that little boy stage of wanting to rush and get a big kiss from mommy the second he got home.

"I'm fine, mom. I just wanna clean up a bit."

The tremble running along his flesh was also running in his voice. The dark feeling in Inko's chest built even higher than before.

"Izu-chan, please look at me."

Inko took another step.

Izuku let out a whimper.

Inko felt as if claw like claps were latching onto her heart. Slowly, she made her way forth. Izuku didn't move. Izuku didn't respond. Instead, her son let her spin him around.

There was a red mark on his cheek. His clothes were far more ruffled than she had expected. His lip was split, and his eyes, so happy and cheerful, were red from tears.

Izuku let out another whimper, wiping at his eyes and refusing to look at her.

"Oh Izuku, my baby!" Inko knelt down, wrapping her arms around her son. Izuku stood still for a moment before that too faded. Clutching onto her and burying his head in her shoulder, Izuku sobbed.

* * *

"He wouldn't say who did it? The hell? That little shit should grown some balls!"

"Mitsuki! He's a growing boy!"

"A growing boy who refuses to talk to his elders when he needs to!"

Inko grit her teeth.

Mitsuki had always been a good friend. However, at the same time, she was always more of a 'you need to stand for yourself' view to life. Which, as far as Inko was concerned, was a pretty damn good view to have for oneself but not for ones child.

She dreaded to think what would happen if Katsuki was suffering the same abuse. Would Mitsuki turn a blind eye to her own child because she believed he should be able to handle himself just fine? Inko would like to think not, but she wouldn't put it past Mitsuki.

It's what she herself had done as a child, if Inko's memory served her right. Mitsuki never let anyone beat her down. If anything, she'd end up being the one to do the beatings.

"I'm not sure, but I will be asking his teachers. Surely someone-"

"Owe! Kacchan! Please, stop!"

The three parents froze.

"Shut it, you useless fucking nerd! The hell is this room? All Might this, All Might that! I already told you, Deku, you can't be a fuckin' hero! Get it through your goddamn skull!

There was a bang followed by a scream.

No.

No, anything but this.

No…

Inko knew her child was being abused. She knew he was being bullied. There was no other word for it, no other word for him coming home, time and time again, bruised. She had no doubt this hadn't been the first time, but it had been the first time she noticed.

With chilling realization, Inko now realized why her makeup seemed to run out faster than normal.

This, however…

This…

Katsuki?

Katsuki couldn't possibly… Not Mitsuki's boy. Not the boy of the girl that had protected her with a fierce growl growing up. Not the boy that had practically grow up to the hip alongside hers. Not to the boy that was practically family.

The sight they found, however, was all the proof they needed. Terrible, terrible proof.

Izuku was lying on the ground, tears streaming down his face. Part of his shirt was burned, smoke still sizzling from it. Katsuki's own hand was curled, small sparks flying from the boy's fingertips.

Above him stood Katsuki himself, his eyes lit with such unholy rage that, for a moment, Inko didn't see a child. She didn't see the baby boy she had held in her arms. All she saw was a demon in human form, deceiving all.

Izuku turned to her.

"Mom!"

Katsuki's expression, somehow, impossibly, became even more feral.

"Mom this, mom that! You useless loser! When are yah gonna get it through your head that a Quirkless like you-"

"KATSUKI BAKUGOU! WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

Even as Mistuki's voice began to rather impressively shake the glass in the room despite her Quirk having literally nothing to do with sound, Inko was already rushing into the room. She pulled her son back, drawing him into her arms even as tears began to fall down his face. Inko backed away, her eyes shooting up towards Katsuki, a touch of fear in them.

Who was this boy? Who was this boy? Where was her son's best friend? Who was this stranger, and how had she allowed it into her home? How had she allowed it near her child? How had she not known? How had she not noticed earlier?

Katsuki's expression, for a moment, shifts. Inko has never looked at him like this. No one has ever looked at him like this.

No one has ever looked at him as if he were a monster. A villain.

A child. Katsuki was a child.

A child, already walking down a dark and twisted path and, oh god, how had none of them noticed?

"Hey! You look at me when I talk to you, you little shit!"

Mitsuki strode forth and smacked the back of Katsuki's head. The seven year old yelped, backing away as he glared up at her.

"Owe! You bitch! What the hell, woman?"

Mistuki's eyes burned.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me, Katsuki! What was that! What were you doing to Izuku!"

Katsuki snarled, backing away, glaring at them all. Glaring in reproach. As if they were the ones in the wrong. As if he was the one in the right. As if he couldn't understand why they were doing this. As if he couldn't understand why they were stopping him.

With a jolt, Inko realized that was exactly what was happening. Katsuki didn't understand. By god, he didn't understand. He thought this behavior was perfectly acceptable, perfectly normal.

Inko wanted to throw up.

"I don't know why you're all so worked up! No one else is! Hell, the teachers at school even praise me when I do that because Deku is a Deku and Deku's can't be heroes and it's better he learns now rather than later!"

You could practically hear a pin drop.

Masaru, of all people, is the one to break the silence. Striding past a shell shocked Mitsuki, her eyes blown wide open and her skin rapidly reflecting the color of fresh concrete, Masaru kneels down in front of his son, placing a pair of hands on his shoulders.

Katsuki looks up expectantly.

"Son… What is a hero?"

"Someone who wins." Katsuki answers instantly. Confidently.

Masaru, much to his surprise, however, shakes his head.

"No, my boy… No. A hero, Katsuki, a hero is someone who protects those that are weaker. Now… Now, Katsuki, look at Izuku. Look at your friend. Look at him, and tell me if he's protected. Tell me if he's safe. Tell me if he's unhurt."

Katsuki's eyes dash back and forth, and slowly but surely his face begins to lose color. Slowly but surely, that dancing flame in his eyes is replaced with slow, dawning realization. Slowly but surely, the child returns and the demon that had replaced him is swept away.

With a horrified yelp, Katsuki backs away. Then, his eyes roll into the back of his skull before he's falling, face first into his father's arms.

The only sound in the room is Izuku's sobs.

Then, with a growl, Mitsuki starts to pace up and down the room, her fists clenched as color returns to her face. Inko can't remember a time her friend was this angry, this pissed off.

"I'm gonna kill them. Gonna kill them all! The hell they think they're teaching my kid, huh?!"

The hell indeed. Inko was getting her son out of that school, no matter what. She was confident that Masaru and Mitsuki would be doing the same.

Even the teachers praise him? Praise him, for this?

Inko gripped her child harder and, for a moment, she allowed herself weakness. She allowed herself weakness as a tear fell from her eyes, and she realized in that moment that she had failed. She had failed, because she was the mother and wasn't it her job to make sure things like this didn't happen?

Except, she hadn't failed alone.

None of them had noticed.

None of them had noticed at all.

It was time for this to stop. It was time for them to make this better. Because this, how things were, this was not acceptable. This was not acceptable, and Inko would be damned if anyone told her otherwise.


	3. The Empath and the School

A/N: And we introduce our therapist. I was tempted to make her either Cordelia from Angel, Phoebe from Charmed, or Lydia from Heroes but I decided to go with OC, since that was what was suggest. This does give me more freedom with the character.

On a side note, Heroes could totally be seen as a prequel to Boku no Hero, even though its live action and not at all an anime. Same basic premise, except at the beginning rather than the implied centuries of Boku no Hero.

Kyoka is from the word Kyokan which, according to translate, means Empathy. Hato, also according to Google, means heart.

Published: 2/12/2018

Warnings: None

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **The Empath and the School**

Kyoka Hato did not have a Quirk suited for battle. She had always know that. Her Quirk wasn't really suited for hero work. True, it had been a rather annoying blow when her dream had been to be a hero, but with her abilities, it just wasn't possible.

Empathy.

Feeling the emotions of others.

That was Kyoka's gift. It was also her curse.

She could feel the emotions of others. She would drown in them if she wasn't careful, drown in the beating flow of the hearts of others. That was why her gift was so very, very dangerous. That was why she was not suited for hero work.

For one, the last time she had tried back when she had attended UA, she had… Maybe accidentally gotten swept up by a villains emotions and ended up cackling like crazy while she lit things on fire in every direction?

…

Yeahhhh, no. Her Quirk was not suited for hero work.

It was, however, suited for this.

Mitsuki Bakugou growled at her. The woman leaned forward, palm on her knee, her lips twisted in a snarl. At first glance, this woman seemed wild. Out of control. Destructive. Kyoka could see more, however. She could see more, just like she could see more when she had looked at this woman's child.

She could feel more.

Those burning emotions…

This woman was worried. That was what it boiled down to. Worried, about her child and worried about the path he was going to take and worried about how she hadn't seen it before. That was good. There's no fixing a problem when you ignore the problem. If you pretend it isn't there, there will never be a solution.

Mitsuki Bakugou wanted a solution to her son's rage. The impatience burning in her, though… Now, that might be an issue. Kyoka was good at her job, but even she was no magical miracle worker, which it seemed was exactly what Mitsuki was expecting out of her.

"Well? Out with it! How do I fix my kid!" Mitsuki snapped.

Kyoka sighed, setting down her notepad.

"That," Kyoka gestured in Mitsuki's general direction, "is the first thing we need to repair."

"Excuse me?" Mitsuki's face was rapidly growing red.

Mother like son.

"Your child has no concept of what proper force is. In his own words, it's how he's 'being raised'. Meaning, he doesn't see anything wrong with his own actions not just because the school he's attending encourages them, but because he's also emulating someone he trusts. In this case, his mother." Kyoka explained.

It took only seconds for the words to sink in. Mitsuki's face, and her emotions, seemed to rage with all the changes of a roller coaster. Shock, anger, denial, rage.

Mitsuki shot up, fist clenched. Kyoka didn't move. Moving at this moment would not be advised. She'd be liable to provoke more out of Mitsuki, which is not what she wanted to do.

Kyoka wanted to help this woman and, from the emotions she could feel bubbling along the surface, that was the same thing Mitsuki wanted. Her pride, however, would be the biggest obstacle.

An obstacle that Kyoka didn't think would be too difficult to overcome.

Maybe if Mitsuki had come for herself, then yes. That burning pride would burn any bridge, any path she tried to forge for this woman. However, this woman was not here for herself. She was not here to help herself. She didn't care about herself.

This was a mother, concerned for a child, and that made all the difference in the world.

"Excuse me? I'd like you to repeat that. Slowly." Mitsuki's smirk promised retribution, bluntly proving Kyoka's own point. This woman was a wild card.

"I've said something that displeased you. Your first response, your first resort, is to insinuate violence. To threaten. Why, then, do you think your son would have a different response?" Kyoka's words cut across the room. Mitsuki's expression went slack as her eyes darted unbelievable towards her own fist, somehow surprised by it. Surprised to see it lifted in the air, ready to attack.

Much like Mitsuki before her, Kyoya leaned forth.

"My job, Mrs. Bakugou, is to help your child. And, that's exactly what I'm going to do, but I need you to help me help him. You're his mother, and you're his role model. I can help him, but not without you. Help me, Mrs. Bakugou. Help me help your son."

Mitsuki's face scrunched. There it was. That warring pride, urging her to turn and leave. Urging her to scream. Urging her on that there was nothing wrong with her actions, nothing wrong with what she was doing.

And there was the counter.

The feeling of fear running in her veins as her boy, as her baby, took a practical swan dive into the darkness.

Pride versus motherhood.

The fist dropped as Mitsuki fell back, falling easily into her chair again.

Kyoka smiled.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bakugou. Now… We have much we need to discuss."

* * *

Of all the stupid things Katsuki had been forced to do, this was downright the stupidest. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Completely fucking stupid. Annoying too. Just because that useless bitch was a useless bitch, he had to suffer too?

Katsuki resisted the urge to glare at Deku as the four of them made their way through the school. Glaring at Deku would get him reprimanded. Again. Why was beyond Katsuki. Didn't anyone understand? Why didn't any of them understand? Katsuki was doing Izuku a favor.

Deku was going to get himself hurt if he kept up with this idiot plan of his. Deku was convinced he could be a hero, even without a Quirk, and Deku was wrong. He was wrong, he was wrong, he was wrong.

All he was gonna do was get himself hurt.

Deku was an idiot if he thought otherwise. Katsuki was being a good friend by showing him that he couldn't be a hero. The teachers saw that, so why couldn't his parents?

Katsuki stubbornly pushed down the look of horror on Inko-baachan's face. He stubbornly pushed away his father's words, painful and blunt and cutting into him. He stubbornly pushed down Deku's face, covered in snot and tears and confusion.

Confusion, because why was his best friend attacking him?

That useless nerd was weak. Weak and pathetic and beneath him, as far as Katsuki was concerned. Deku, though, didn't get the memo. No. Instead, Deku thought Katsuki was the weak one. Deku looked down on him, again and again, so it was only right for Katsuki to show that nerd his place in the world.

Katsuki was knocked out of his musings by his dad who literally kicked open the door to their classroom. Arms crossed and a huff leaving his lips, Katsuki did not pout as he turned his head away.

And they told him he was too violent. Hm. Buncha hypocrites.

Mizuki-sensei looked up from the board, his silver hair falling swinging as he turned to them.

"Yes?" Then, Mizuki's eyes darted down, lighting up. "Ah! Young Katsuki-Kun. And… Izuku. You're late." Mizuki shot a frown towards Deku, who, as usual, hid behind his mother.

Tch. Pathetic.

Katsuki watched as his dad stomped forward. Mizuki-sensei obviously had no sense of self preservation as he didn't seem to notice the threat in his father's eyes until a hand slapped him clean across the face.

A sharp gasp cut across the classroom.

Someone had slapped sensei. A parent had slapped sensei. Not just any parent. Katsuki's dad, the dad of the star of the class. Katsuki, smart, determined, with an awesome badass Quirk and predestined for greatness just because of his genetics. Katsuki's dad.

Mizuki-sensei backed away, shooting a glare at dad.

"Mr. Bakugou, what is the meaning-"

"You, and the rest of this school, are lucky I'm not setting my wife on you all. She's far less forgiving than I am." Dad interrupted coldy.

Katsuki shivered. He couldn't help it. Dad was usually the calm one in the family. He was usually the one that made things settle down when they were going out of control. The straight man between Katsuki and his mom.

Him being pissed was new. It was new, and just a bit terrifying. He didn't get angry like Katsuki or mom, though. No. Dad's anger… It was more dangerous.

That calm rage. The kind that destroys completely.

Deku, on the other hand, wasn't scared at all. Hn. Typical nerd. Didn't know when to be scared or what to be scared of. Instead, he was looking up towards Katsuki's dad with the same shining gaze that the idiot typically reserved for his fanboying moments.

Dumbass.

"Sir, I have no idea what this is about, but I'm sure we can discuss this civilly and humanely, we can-"

"Is it true?"

Inko-baachan's voice cut across the room. Every voice fell silent, including the muttering of the extras. Katsuki was impressed. Even he couldn't get the extras to be that quiet. What were their names, again? Katsuki wasn't sure. Meh. Didn't matter.

They weren't important, so why should Katsuki remember them at all?

He failed to apply the same logic to Izuku, who Katsuki could never forget even if he tried.

Mizuki-sensei turned to her.

"Is what true, ma'am?"

Even Katsuki could hear the disgust in the man's voice. It wasn't so much aimed at Inko-baachan though. It was the same tone of voice Mizuki-sensei took when talking about Deku. He was associating Inko-baachan with Deku. No, that wasn't it. It was more of an accusation.

An accusation that Deku being so useless was her fault.

Suddenly, Katsuki realized how pissed off that tone made him. Inko-baachan was the greatest and she made the best snacks. How dare this asshole talk to her like that?

How dare he talk to Izuku like that?

Katsuki paused. Wait… What?

Katsuki glanced at the nerd who was still looking up at Katsuki's dad as if the man had stripped aside his shitty work uniform and revealed he had been All Might all along. Why would Katsuki care if someone harmed Deku? They were just teaching him a lesson, right.

Katsuki tilted his head.

Hm.

Screw it. Only he was allowed to teach that shit head lessons. Anyone else would meet the end of one of his explosions. His path decided, Katsuki turned his attention back to Inko-baachan.

"Did you praise the children in this room for bullying my child?"

Bullying? It wasn't bullying. That's what villains did. Katsuki wasn't a villain. He was being a hero. Heroes help people, and he was helping Deku. Right?

Inko-baachan's face flashed in his mind. Dad's cold reprimanding eyes followed. And De… Izuku's face. Tears and snot covering his face like usual because he was a crybaby, and he'd always been a crybaby for as long as Katsuki remembered.

But, that time had been different. For the first time, looking at those tears didn't make Katsuki boil over like they usually did. For the first time, thinking back to it, Katsuki wondered why. He wondered what had been different. It was just the same as always, right?

 _"Does your friend look protected?"_

Except, that time, Katsuki had been the cause. A shudder ran along his skin, although why was beyond Katsuki. It didn't matter. None of it mattered at all. He was doing the right thing, no matter what his stupid parents thought. He was being a good friend. He was being a good person.

No matter how shitty he felt, he was doing the right thing.

"Praise? Oh, ma'am, what would ever give you the idea?" Mizuki-sensei shot a condescending look towards Deku. Katsuki blinked. Huh? Why would Mizuki-sensei lie? There's only one reason to lie. You only lie when you have something so hide. So, why was he lying?

Unless… He was doing something wrong. But, if Mizuki-sensei was doing something wrong, didn't that mean that Katsuki was too?

Katsuki shot Deku a look.

…

Nah.

That Quirkless loser needed to learn his place before he got himself hurt. Katsuki would rather that he do the hurting. Sure, it made Deku cry, but it was better that way. Katsuki wouldn't hurt him too bad. He wouldn't hurt him as bad as a real villain would. A real villain would kill him.

Years later in an alternate reality where none of their parents noticed, Katsuki eventually forgot the reason he had begun this, and, with a twisted smile, told Deku to take a swan dive as one last twisted resort to get him to stop trying to be something he could never be.

"From my son." Dad cut it. He was starting to look a bit like mom as his skin started to color. Wow. That was pretty scary actually.

Mizuki-sensei froze, his eyes darting to Katsuki.

Katsuki took this as his que.

"Yeah, Mizuki-sensei! You told me it was a good idea 'cause Deku's should know their place!"

At Katsuki's words, the entire class burst into mutters about similar incidents. Mizuki-sensei lost all color to the point where his skin matched his hair.

Inko-baachan took a single step forward. That step seemed to shake the damn building. As one, the entire class froze, the mutterings of the random shit they'd done to Deku dying down as a dangerous aura began to surround Inko-baachan. For a second, Katsuki didn't see her. No. Instead, he saw twisted metal gates, screams, and fire.

Screw his dad being the scary one, holy fucking hell. Mizuki-sensei, who bore the full brunt of the killing intent leaking from her, looked like he was on the verge of pissing himself. Katsuki's respect for his sensei plummeted. How pathetic. Even Deku had never done that shit.

Then again…

Katsuki shot a discrete glance at Inko-baachan. Could he really blame the man?

The entire room began to tremble.

"Inko," dad proved he had balls of steel by calling out to the woman. Mizuki-sensei let out a pathetic whimper as Inko-baachan turned to look at dad. Her eyes still danced with that burning fire. The flame of a pissed off mama wolf.

Katsuki glanced at Deku.

"Why aren't you that badass?"

Deku, however, didn't respond. The stars in his eyes might as well have gone supernova. Tch. Stupid nerds.

A look passed between the two parents. Then, at long last, Inko-baachan let out a breath and the killing intent fell. The whole class have a single satisfied sigh of relief at the act. With a wave of her hand, several things darted forth, all into Inko-baachan's hands. Katsuki recognized them as his things and the nerds things.

Attraction of small objects didn't sound that impressive, but with a pull like that Inko-baachan would technically pull a dozen small items to make time thing big fall. Yikes.

Inko-baachan shot a brutal glare at Mizuki-sensei. This time, the stench was unmistakable. Katsuki wasn't the only one to scrunch his nose at disgust.

"Our children will no longer be attending this school. A school is a place of learning that helps shape our children for the future and you, Mizuki, are no teacher. You're a monster, and I swear to you, as a mother, I will bring the whole world down on your head for what you've done to my child!"

With that final declaration, Inko-baachan spun. Dad shot one last cold look towards the quivering Mizuki before following right behind, a hand on Katsuki's shoulders pushing him forth.

The silence lasted only until they reached the hall. Then, the mutters began. And so began the downfall of their elementary school.


	4. Izuku's Perspective

A/N: I normally don't like having scenes from more than one person's perspective, but I felt like that needed to happen here. So, I did. Anyways, on with the story!

Published: 2/17/2018

Warnings: None

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Izuku's Perspective**

Izuku Midoriya was surprised by how things were slowly turning around.

When Izuku had first discovered he was Quirkless, it had been a shock. It had been one of the worst moment of his young life. Not having a Quirk meant he couldn't be a hero. Not having a Quirk was worse than just being normal. It meant he was less than that, less than everyone else.

Everyone else had something that made them unique, that made them special.

What made Izuku unique was that he was nothing.

Izuku thought that had been the worst of it. He thought the moment his mother had wrapped her arms around him and sobbed when he asked her if he could be a hero had been the worst. He had been wrong, though. He had been so, so wrong.

The worst was Kacchan.

At first, there hadn't been much of a difference.

"You don't have a Quirk? Whatever, Izu. You just follow and I'll lead, okay?"

Kacchan had always been like that. He was the leader, and everyone else fell in line. Kacchan would march on forward, and the rest of the world just followed right behind him. That was only natural. With his skill, with his genius, and with his Quirk, Katsuki was practically assured a shot at being a hero.

Izuku isn't sure when it all changed.

He thinks it might have been when Kacchan started calling him Deku, but no, that wasn't it. Yeah, Izuku knew what it meant, but, when it came from Kacchan, it didn't really sound like an insult. More of an annoying term of endearment than anything else.

At least, at first.

It's scary, how fast the world can shift.

It's scary, how fast everything can fall apart right before your eyes, and, suddenly, you don't recognize it. That's how Izuku felt.

"Kacchan! Are you okay? Let me help you up!"

Kacchan had fallen off the bridge. Sure, he hadn't really fallen far and at the most, he might have gotten a little scrape, but that was it. And yeah, he was being mean lately, but Kacchan was always mean to everyone. Kacchan was still his friend, right?

Except, that look…

You don't shoot that look at your friends.

Izuku froze, hand still extent outwards.

Kacchan's expression twisted, and the world along with it.

Izuku didn't understand. He didn't understand what was wrong with Kacchan. He didn't understand why the other was so angry, so furious. He didn't understand why Katsuki went from a happy best friend to a burning flame of antagonization. Izuku didn't know, didn't understand.

All he knew was that Kacchan… Kacchan wasn't acting like a hero.

Kacchan was acting like a villain.

Izuku was his friend, right? And, when a friend notices that you're going down a dark path, it's their job to help turn you away from it, right?

Kacchan didn't seem to think so. If anything, Izuku trying to help him only further pushed him down the path of rage. Izuku trying to pull him out of the darkness only made him angrier, made him more aggressive. No matter how many times Izuku stood up to him, no matter how many times Izuku told him to stop, told him to leave the other kids alone.

Kacchan was being mean. Kacchan was using his powers for evil.

All men are not created equally. Izuku understood that. He understood that Kacchan was blessed with power, power that someone like Izuku, someone who was Quirkless, could never really match. Kacchan was something else entirely, but that wouldn't stop Izuku from trying.

It wouldn't break his will.

Kacchan was his friend and Izuku would stop him from being a villian if it was the last thing he did. That's what friends did. That's what heroes did.

Except…

Izuku wanted to scream.

All his efforts seemed to be having the opposite effect of what he was intending. Kacchan only got angrier and angrier. More and more abusive. Sure, Izuku could take a beating, but this was getting ridiculous.

Izuku felt red hot tears sliding down his face. The teachers, as usual, weren't paying attention. The other students were divided between looking like they wanted to join in or being to scared to draw attention, just like Izuku kept doing.

It would have been easy, so easy, to avoid all of this. All Izuku would have had to do was stay quiet, stay on the sidelines, and do nothing at all. That's all. That's all it would take to get Kacchan to leave him alone. That's all it would take to stop the pain and the tears. That was literally all Izuku would have had to do.

Izuku refused.

Heroes don't run.

"Stupid Deku! You're fuckin' useless! When are you going to understand that someone like you isn't worth the dirt beneath my feet! No! Less than that! At least the dirt is useful! At least the ground can be used for something, but you? You're just a waste of space, breathing in our air and eating out food!"

Kacchan always had a way with words. He knew just how to push, just how to humiliate. Laughter was heard all around the playground. Kids, agreeing with him. Izuku sat up. Wiping away at his eyes, Izuku glared up. This only served to make Kacchan madder, but Izuku didn't care.

"You're just a big great meany head! All Might would be dissapoi-teded if he could see you!" Izuku shouted before freezing. Kacchan's expression went blank for a second and Izuku knew, in that moment, that he had crossed a line.

Izuku hid his face as explosions began to dance on Kacchan's fingertips. Contrary to popular belief, Kacchan didn't really use those explosions of his on people. Doing so could result in burns at the very least. Kacchan was actually pretty careful with his fire, but Izuku was sure he just might have pushed Kacchan over the delicate edge keeping him from using those explosions full force.

Then, with a snarl, Kacchan… Turned away. Izuku blinked in surprise, not having expected that.

* * *

Izuku hadn't meant for his mom to noticed the bruise on his cheek. He was going to sneak in, but the door had made more noise than he intended to when it opened. Izuku wasn't sure if mom had heard, but decided not to chance it. She'd get even more suspicious if she had heard it but didn't hear a greeting.

"Mom! I'm home!" Izuku called out, then darted as fast as he possibly could towards the bathroom. If he managed to get there in time, it would be pretty easy to cover up the bruise. All he had to do was put on some of that make up stuff mommy had. He had to be careful with it, though. If he covered his freckles, mom might notice something.

She hadn't last time, though. Izuku was getting pretty good at covering his injuries.

Unfortunately, he didn't reach the room in time.

"Izuku!" his mom called.

Izuku froze.

Crap. He couldn't run. He couldn't move. He should just turn around and look at her, but if he did that, she would see. He could run off to the bathroom and say he just really needed to use it, but if he that, mom would get suspicious because if that was the case then why did Izuku stop in the middle of the hallway?

"Izu-chan?"

Izuku felt his body rebel. He couldn't move. He couldn't stop the shaking in his his arms. He just managed to stop the tears, but only barely. Just on the edge of spilling out.

Crybaby. That's what Kacchan would call him if he could see him now. Great big useless crybaby taking up space. Instead, Izuku calmed himself a bit, and spoke. He couldn't hide the hitch in his voice though. He couldn't hide that tremble, threatening to spill out.

"I'm fine, mom. I just wanna clean up a bit."

Izuku heard his mother take a breath behind him, moving closer.

"Izu-chan, please look at me."

His mother took another step.

Izuku let out a whimper.

He couldn't move. He couldn't move. He wanted to move. He wanted to run. He wanted to, but his body wouldn't listen. He needed to move, but why wasn't his body doing what he wanted it to do? Was he really so useless that he was going to get caught by his mom after hiding this from her for so long?

Mom didn't need to know. The teachers knew, and they didn't care.

Izuku wasn't sure how he'd feel if his mom knew and didn't care.

Hands gripped his shoulders, spinning him around. Izuku didn't look up. He couldn't look up. Instead, he felt another tear form, a tear which he rapidly wiped away. This was it. The moment of truth.

The moment his mom looked him in the eye, slapped him, and told him he deserved this.

"Oh Izuku, my baby!"

Instead, the impossible happened. Instead of reprimanding him, like everyone else, arms wrapped around him. Much like last time, like the time Izuku had asked his mom if he could he a hero, here she was, holding him and crying. Crying, not reprimanding him, but sorry for him. Caring for him.

Mom…

Mom didn't hate him, like the other adults…

Izuku let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in as he hugged her right back, tears running freely down his face as he no longer had a reason at all to fight them.

* * *

Izuku quivered.

It had literally been years since Kacchan's patents had been over.

"Aren't you just the cutest!" Mitsuki-baachan said, kneeling down in front of Izuku, her hands already moving forward to pinch his cheeks. They froze, noticing the multi colored bruise on said cheek. "What happened here? Who did this?"

Mitsuki-baachan sounded angry. For a second, Izuku wanted to tell her. He wanted to say who had done it, but what would come from that, anyways? It wouldn't get him anything except probably another beating. If he just stayed quiet, it would stop.

What's the point, when there isn't anyone to protect? Izuku was perfectly willing to take a beating if it meant some other poor kid didn't have to deal with Kacchan. Otherwise, Izuku would rather avoid it.

So, not trusting words, Izuku shook his head, backing away.

Mitsuki-baachan looked surprised, but said nothing. Instead, she shot a look towards mom. Then, she stood. "Alright, Izu-chan. But don't think this is over. We'll be talking about it later." Mitsuki-baachan promised. Izuku didn't dare meet her gaze, or Kacchan's either.

Instead, Izuku made his way to his room, a grumbling Kacchan following behind him.

* * *

Izuku came to a few conclusions that day as they made their way out of the elementary school. The first was that his mom was a badass and anyone who said otherwise didn't know what a badass was. The second was that parents were awesome, and he hoped that one day he could be a parent as cool as mom and as cool as Masaru-ojichan.

"Tch. Nerd. Get those stars out of your eyes." Kacchan said.

Izuku happily ignored him, humming to himself. Normally, this would get him a punch in the face, but instead, Kacchan just twitched for a second before looking away. Maybe someone else would assume it was because their parents were present, but Izuku knew better. He knew Kacchan better than that. Something else was going on, although the what was beyond him.

Whatever. Izuku could worry about that later. Right now, he didn't really want to worry about anything at all.

He'd been scared of having his mom find out what had been going on, but, really, this had been the best thing ever.

* * *

"And that's when me an' Kacchan stopped gettin' along! After the bridge!" Izuku revealed.

Izuku wasn't sure why he had to go to therapy too, but mom had insisted, saying it would be good for him. Izuku didn't quite understand, but if mom said it was a good idea then Izuku would believe her. Mom was the most awesome person on the planet. Izuku thought she might even be cooler than All Might, but he still wasn't sure.

They were fifty fifty, Izuku decided to compromise.

Miss Hato put down her notepad, having been scribbling away on it with each word that passed Izuku's lips.

"I see. Well. I do believe this gives me a better perspective on how to help you boys out."

Izuku was skeptical about that, but nodded anyways. He wasn't too sure about her. Miss Hato was an adult, and adults that weren't parents were not to be trusted. Izuku didn't notice the way Miss Hato twitched momentarily at the emotions boiling underneath Izuku's skin.

"So, I'm going to help you on your mission." Miss Hato leaned forth, smiling at Izuku. She looked friendly and all, but Izuku still wasn't sure. "Let's help save Kacchan, right, Izuku?"

Those words, though… Those words, Izuku could agree with. He still wasn't sure about this lady, but trying to help him was better than anything the teachers had done so far. So, Izuku smiled and nodded, extending out a hand.


	5. Jealous

A/N: If where I pulled Mizuki from wasn't clear before, I made it outright blatant in this chapter with the little omake I tossed in at the end

Published: 3/10/2018

Warnings: Spoilers for Todoroki's background

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Jealous**

Shouto Todoroki did not like many things.

At the very top of the list of things he did not like was his father.

Shouto had always been smart for his age. Smarter than any child has the right to be. Smart because he had learned to live. Smart because he had to learn how to survive. Survive, in a household run by the great and mighty Endeavor.

More like the great and mighty 'Envious', not that Shouto would ever call his father that to his face.

That's exactly what his father was. It was the emotion that drove his every action, his every thought. That one emotion was his driving force, and even at the age of seven, Shouto knew that it was a sad fate indeed.

Well. It would be sad if it didn't piss him off so much.

Jealousy.

Endeavour was jealous. That was all that drove him, all that mattered to him. That endless, wild pride. Nothing else in the world mattered. Not his family, not his wife, not his kids. Only that single minded determination, that will to become stronger than All Might.

A feat that Endeavour had slowly come to realize was something he would never, ever achieve.

Which is where Shouto came in.

Shouto had learned at a young age that the romances you see on tv don't equate to real life. He wasn't born from love. There was no love between his mother and his father, not a spec of it. That's a tough pill for any kid to swallow, but Shouto understood it well.

He understood that the one thing in the world that his father wanted most of all was to surpass All Might. His father couldn't do it himself. He had tried, tried and failed. That was where Shouto came in.

That was where the rest of his siblings had failed.

Shouto alone was a balance of flame and ice. Shouto alone was a perfect merging of his father's Quirk and his mother's. That was all Endeavor cared for. Nothing else in the universe mattered other than creating the perfect child, the perfect child to fight, beat, and surpass All Might. All else was irreverent, as far as Endeavor was concerned.

It had stung. It really had, realizing that his father didn't love him. It was true. Shouto wasn't even sure if his father was capable of love. If he was, he sure as hell didn't show it towards his family.

Still, Shouto could endure it.

Yes, realizing his father didn't love him had been… It had been a wake up call. It had hurt. It had hurt a lot. Shouto had cried and cried in the comfort of his own room, refusing to burden anyone with it. He had cried and cried before coming to a single decision.

So what if his father didn't love him?

The man was hardly there anyways.

Besides… Shouto had his mother. She was all he needed. All the love he needed. He didn't need another parent's love when he had hers.

Then, his father just had to take that too, didn't he?

How that man had ever been listed as hero was beyond Shouto. Endeavor was no hero. No. He was a deranged sociopath, the kind that broke people not because he took sadistic glee in it, but simply because he didn't care at all that his actions had consequences. Shouto hated his father. He hated his father with all his heart.

Shouto hated a lot of things.

And, he was starting to realize… He really hated Izuku Midoriya.

"And then, mom waved her hand and got all our stuff and you shoulda seen Mizuki-sensei! It was so totally awesome!"

Izuku Midoriya loved to blabber. The boy claimed to be Quirkless, but Shouto didn't believe it. He was completely and utterly convinced that Midoriya's Quirk was annoying people to death via endless talking that the other didn't even seem to be aware he was doing half the time, and nothing would change his mind.

Idly, Shouto wondered if there was indeed a being with such a power in the universe.

A dimension away, Experiment 110, known as Squeak, sneezed.

"For fuck sakes, will you shut up about that Deku?! That was a literal year ago! A year! Sheesh!"

Katsuki Bakugou. Shouto almost disliked the boy as much as he disliked Midoriya. Midoriya blabbered endlessly. Shouto had been in the room all but ten minutes and he had already been regaled to Midoriya's life story and had a pretty good idea of the parts every single party played.

Bakugou reminded Shouto of Endeavour. A tinier, perhaps not as twisted yet Endeavour, but he reminded Shouto of Endeavour nonetheless. Shouto abhorred bullies, and that's exactly what Bakugou was. Or, had been from what Shouto was seeing.

Apparently, the two boys were here to see their therapist. Together. They normally had single sessions with the woman, but occasionally she would pull them both together for a meeting. Normally, this wouldn't effect Shouto at all, except for the fact that he was suppose to endure the woman too.

The great and mighty Endeavour hadn't wanted to send Shouto to therapy. He had claimed his kid was far too strong to have to go through something like that. That was, until All Might had threatened to air their family baggage and the fact that his mother had physically assaulted Shouto while having a panic attack.

Literally no one had wanted that, and Shouto was utterly furious his mother was being put on such a spotlight. All Might promptly got himself added to The List that day.

If Midoriya kept blabbering about his 'wonderful loving most awesome mother in the whole world', Shouto would jot him down right alongside the so called Symbol of Peace.

How had All Might learned of that whole ordeal, anyways?

Whatever.

"Kacchan! I'm just having a conversation!"

Midoriya pouted at Bakugou. Shouto slowly edged away. He hadn't been around the two boys very long, but even Shouto could understand that pouting at Bakugou wasn't exactly good for one's health.

As if to prove his point, Bakugou twitched.

"Boys, get along, or else!" a voice called out sweetly.

Shouto was regaled to Bakugou paling rather rapidly as he shot a look behind him. Several seats away, a blond woman that looked like an older, genderbent version of Bakugou himself was eyeing them over a manga she'd picked up. Bakugou grumbled a bit, but said nothing.

Huh. That must be his mother.

Shouto knew that kids sometimes looked like their parents, but this was an exaggeration if ever he saw one. Bakugou and his mother literally looked like mirror images of one another. Except for the whole gender thing. Huh. Weird.

Then, Bakugou's expression hardened as he glared at his mother.

"Shut it, hag! This an K and I conversation, so butt out before I kill you!"

"Kacchan! You can't speak to your mom like that!"

"I can speak to her however the hell I want, Deku! You don't see me butting into your relationship with your mom, now do you?"

"You always rant about how I hero worship her!"

"Cause you do, momma's boy!"

"I'm not a momma's boy! I just know how to respect my elders!"

Shouto pinched the bridge of his nose. For a moment, he expected Bakugou's mother to stand up and do something, but instead the woman betrayed Shouto by producing a pair of headphones from her purse, drowning out the noise of Bakugou's and Midoriya's bickering with the pleasant sound of music.

Shouto had been betrayed by his ally.

He should have seen this coming.

She was a parent.

They weren't to be trusted.

It was almost like a light went off in Shouto's head at that moment.

With a glance at Midoriya next to him bickering back and forth with Bakugou, Shouto realized just exactly why he disliked the boy and, really, he should have so seen it before.

Shouto disliked him for one simple, simple reason.

He was loved.

Midoriya… Quirkless Midoriya had everything Shouto wanted. He had it all, and, to be honest, it wasn't even a very long list. Shouto just wanted his parents to love him. He wanted that acknowledgement, that pride in their eyes that Midoriya had been blessed with.

The boy didn't have a Quirk. If he had been born to Endeavour, Shouto was sure he'd have been tossed out, placed in an orphanage the second Endeavour had realized it, all else be damned. Yet, this boy was loved by his mother despite that. Despite any faults he had, he was loved.

Despite the annoyance in Bakugou's voice, despite the way the pair of them were arguing back and forth, Shouto couldn't see any malice. If anything, there seemed to be an affectionate tone to the whole thing which made Shouto's stomach twist even more.

But, why would…

Of course.

Bakugou was like Endeavor. Or rather, he had been. That single minded will to get ahead, to move forward and leave the rest of the world behind as trash because they weren't worth his time. Yet, when Bakugou looked at Midoriya, instead of the utter disdain Shouto knew Endeavor would subject the boy to, there was something else in his eyes, something Shouto couldn't exactly decipher.

He didn't need to decipher it.

All he needed to know was that it wasn't hatred.

Izuku Midoriya had exactly what Shouto wanted, and Shouto for one brief moment, Shouto hated him more than he ever had Endeavour.

In the mother of all ironies, Shouto Todoroki hated Izuku Midoriya for the exact same reason that Endeavor hated All Might: he was jealous.

* * *

 **Omake**

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

Mizuki could not believe the week he had been having.

Okay, so he had turned a blind eye to some Quirkless brat being given a reality check. Was that so bad? It's not like any of the other teachers did anything either whenever they saw the other kids picking on Midoriya! They were just as guilty, but the blame was being blamed squarely on his shoulders.

The blame, and the bill the school was being charged.

That's right. Bill.

Apparently, that stupid Quirkless brat needed therapy. Therapy that the school was expected to pay. Inko Midoriya had threatened to sue the shit out of them to get it, too, but she hadn't needed to. Oh no, the idiot that ran the school had graciously handed the money over.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Midoriya. I assure you, we will be changing our policies very soon. I've hired an… Expert in the matters of school renovations." Iruka had proclaimed.

It made Mizuki's blood boil, knowing that idiot was running the school. Stupid pompous fool.

Inko Midoriya had merely scowled.

"I'll believe it when I see it." she had snapped. Ungrateful bitch.

Iruka had all but bent over in apology.

"As an educator, not seeing the situation was my failure. I won't ask you to forgive me, for I don't deserve it. Only know that you have my thanks for opening my eyes to the reality of the situation."

Then, the blasted idiot had declared that school funds were going to be used to pay for Midoriya's therapy. If that wasn't enough, Mitsuki Bakugou had stormed the property the next day, eyes lit with unholy rage.

Needless to say, the school ended up paying for not one, but two brats going off to therapy. On top of that, funds were also being allocated to pay for Iruka's so called 'school renovations expert'. What did that mean for the rest of them, you ask?

Literally everyone's pay had dropped, including Iruka's.

But, did the rest of the staff blame that sloth excuse of a principal?

Oh, no.

They blamed Mizuki, when they had been _just as guilty as he had!_ Those hypocrites!

Mizuki sighed as he prepared to go home.

Whatever. He'd just find another job. Surely that couldn't be too hard for a man of his expertise.

Mizuki had just finished packing up when the sound of wind tearing was heard. Mizuki blinked, looking up as the door slammed shut on it's own accord.

…

Mizuki's hand slipped down to the sewing needle he kept hidden on his person at all times. Not the most conventional of weapons, but still. It worked well with Mizuki's Quirk, which allowed him to expand and retract the size of metallic objects. Sure, the decrease in density would make them more fragile, but such a thing hardly mattered if one knew how to use it properly.

No one snuck up on Mizuki.

Just then, he heard it.

Spinning around, Mizuki brought down the needle, feeling it expand in his hands into a full blown blade ready to stab.

Except, stab it did not as a something soft and yellow wrapped it's way around Mizuki's arm, the grip firm and strong.

Mizuki paled as he gazed upon his assailant, a yellow… Thing with a wide eyed smile full of teeth that looked like they could devour him whole. What in the hell? What kind of Quirk was this? Obviously, some sort of mutation, but it seemed full body considering the fact that there was a literal tentacle wrapped around his arm.

"Hello there! You're Mizuki-sensei, correct? Well, I'd like to introduce myself! My name is Korosensei, and Iruka-kun has hired me to to help turn this school around and put it in tip-top shape! Pleased to meet you!"

This was the expert help Iruka had hired? He was more out of his mind than Mizuki had realized!

Korosensei smiled at him.

Then, the yellow shifted rapidly, melting away to black as a red aura engulfed the other. Mizuki couldn't help the gulp that passed his lips.

"So, Mizuki-sensei… I hear that you're personally responsible for my being here. Care to tell?"

Mizuki would forever deny fainting under that glare to his dying day.


	6. Reach Out

A/N: Or the chapter in which Shouto is secretly a savage. For the record, sunshine in your eyes is the most annoying thing in the world when driving

Published: 3/20/2018

Warnings: None

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Reach Out**

Shouto, sadly, had to put up with the back and forth bickering of Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugou for a full half hour before he was summoned. Why he had to endure this was beyond him. Couldn't he have been dropped off closer to his scheduled appointment time?

What irked him more, though, was that Midoriya and Bakugou's appointment was scheduled after his own, ergo the cause of his suffering.

The traitor, Mitsuki, had done absolutely nothing, just casually flipped through her reading material as if Shouto wasn't dying a little on the inside by the second. It got so bad that Shouto almost cried tears of joy when he was called forth, despite his initial annoyance at being forced to come here in the first place.

The therapist was… Plain looking, Shouto decided. She looked like someone you'd pass on the streets one moment and forget the next, although Shouto supposed that wasn't entirely fair.

He'd never been good with faces. This woman could look like an award winning model and he wouldn't recognize her.

"So, I noticed how you got along with little Izuku and Katsuki. Did you make new friends?" Hato-san began her assault, and of course she had to start off with the current objects of Shouto's ire.

Years of training kept Shouto's face carefully blank. He'd always been good at masking his emotions. One had to be, when growing up in a household with Endeavour and even the smallest sign of weakness could result in getting an extra 'training' session.

"They're both wonderful. I'd be glad to be their friend." Shouto lied.

Hato-san arched a single eyebrow.

"Really? Tell me, what do you think of them individually?"

Shouto was annoyed by the question. Why she bothered bringing those two up was beyond him. But, regardless, he answered.

"Midoriya is a wonderful ray of sunshine, and Bakugou is… Determined to a fault." Shouto tried to think of nice things.

Midoriya certainly was a ray of sunshine. The annoying ones that blared in your eyes and blinded you and that you just kinda wanted it to go away.

Bakugou certainly was determined. Determined like a stubborn mule, making an ass of himself by just the act of breathing.

Shouto always found that the best lies were those sprinkled with truth. He wasn't lying at all. He was being perfectly honest. It wasn't his fault if someone misinterpreted his words.

Hato-san frowned at him as she scribbled on her notepad.

"Shouto-kun," the woman spoke. "Do you know what my Quirk is?" she asked him.

Shouto shook his head. No, he did not know what her Quirk was. Frankly, he didn't think it mattered. Her Quirk didn't get her a psychological degree to be a child therapist, so why should it matter?

"My Quirk is Empathy." Hato-san told him. At Shouto's blank look, she elaborated. "I can channel, feel, and emulate the emotions of people around me." Hato-san explained. Why, Shouto wasn't sure. What did that have to do with anything-

Oh.

 _Oh._

Shouto couldn't help the pang of fear that shot through his veins. Masks were useless on someone who could just read your emotions. Perhaps he'd been off before when he'd assumed that this woman's Quirk hadn't gotten her her degree. With an ability like that, this kind of career was perfect for her.

That shouldn't be surprising. Quirks where skills. Unique skills that made the person who had them invaluable.

Shouto couldn't stop the red from crawling up his cheeks as he looked away. Lies wouldn't work on someone who could just feel what he was feeling.

The solution, then, was simple.

If this woman could feel his emotions, then all Shouto had to do was surpass them when he around her.

For most children, such a thing would be impossible. Shouto was not most children.

"You're jealous of Midoriya-kun, Shouto." Hato-san didn't know the definition of leave well enough alone.

Shouto glared at her, arms crossed. Years later, Shouto's glare would be enough to make grown men whimper in fear. Here and now, though, Shouto looked like a pouting kitten, which he was unfortunately aware of.

Well, kittens have claws and Shouto wouldn't be afraid to use them.

"I don't see what that has to do with anything, Hato-san. I was under the impression we were here to discuss… Other things." Shouto said delicately.

Acknowledging that your mother poured scalding water all over your face because you reminded her of her husband was not something Shouto wanted to say out loud. It would make it all the more real, all the more terrifying, if he did.

"It has everything to do with it, Shouto-kun. I asked Mitsuki-san to bring the two boys early for the explicit purpose of meeting you." Hato-san revealed. Shouto was liking her less and less by the second. "The… File… your father handed me states that you were harmed by your mother, correct?"

How the woman could say that with a straight face was beyond Shouto. Although, a part of him liked it.

That cool view towards reality.

He still had no idea what those two had to do with his mother, thou-

Jealous.

Hato-san said he was jealous. More importantly, jealous of Midoriya specifically. Shouto grit his teeth. He'd been in this office for all of ten minutes and she'd already psychologicaized him correctly.

He blamed her Quirk

"And now, you're annoyed at me."

Shouto quickly squashed down the emotion.

Very well. If this woman wanted to play, he'd play.

"You wanted to see how I'd react to someone with… a more ideal parental situation." Shouto said.

That got him a nod. Well, at the very least, the woman was honest. Although, so was Shouto himself. On the surface.

Whatever. He just had to get this over with. Quicker the better.

* * *

"He looked kinda sad." Deku said, staring at where Todoroki had disappeared after being summoned by Kyoya. Beside him, Katsuki scoffed.

"Candy cane lane should get that stick out of his ass."

Deku turned to him, expression scandalized. Katsuki wasn't sure why he was so surprised. It was hardly the first time Katsuki had given someone an unsavory nickname, and it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.

"Kacchan! Stop being so mean to people! And, he has a name!"

"Does it look like I give a flipping fuck what his name is? Besides, if you couldn't tell, shitty Deku, he didn't like you! I can't blame him! Who would?"

Deku's face did that pathetic quivering thing it was so fond of. God, he was such a goddamn cryba-

"Owe!"

Katsuki rubbed the back of his head, turning to glare at his mother as she leaned back, manga rolled up in her hands. Seriously. That woman was way too fond of hitting him. Katsuki could only conclude that he got his sadistic tendencies from his mother.

"Brat, be nice!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

It was then that Shouto Todoroki shot right out of Kyoya's office like a bat right out of hell. Katsuki blinked. Huh. That was fast. One quick glance at the clock confirmed Todoroki hadn't been in there for a full twenty minutes.

Kyoya herself came out right after him, sighing as Todoroki sped right out of the reception room. Sighing, she turned to them.

"Well, as far as first impressions go… I think that went marvelously." the woman said. Katsuki could only stare. He, at the very least, wasn't the only one. Kyoya didn't seem to notice though, her expression pleased. Then, her eyes darted along the reception hall, finally landing on Katsuki and Deku. Her smile grew wider.

Creepy woman.

"Come, children, your appointment has been moved up."

* * *

"Shitty Deku, looking down on me. What does a broken, Quirkless brat like him think he can do? Why on earth does that fucking idiot think he can ever be anything remotely near to my le- Katsuki Bakugou, I asked you to try and write _nice_ things about your friend." Kyoka admonished, setting down the sheet Katsuki had handed her.

A full week had passed since the joint secession, which had gone rather well. Katsuki had only threatened to physical violence once and Izuku hadn't even flinched at it. So, Kyoya had asked the pair of them to write nice things about the other and bring them to her on their next meeting. Izuku's, no doubt, would be kind.

Katsuki's looked like it had been torn to shreds several times over, redone twelve times on the same sheet of paper, then scrunched up into a ball and tossed away before he finally decided that yes, he was turning this one in and no, he didn't give a damn how messy it looked. Surprising, considering how much of a perfectionist Katsuki was, although Kyoya supposed that was part of the message he was trying to send her.

Katsuki himself grumbled, arms crossed and looking away.

"No, you shitty thrapist, you asked me to write what I think of when I think of Deku." Katsuki snapped hauntedly.

Katsuki had taken to calling Kyoya 'thrapist' the second he had realized that her Quirk worked by allowing her to feel the emotions of others. Sadly, it was not a habit Kyoya had yet managed to break. On the surface, it seemed like the boy was mentally incapable of remembering people's actual names.

Kyoya understood better, though.

Katsuki Bakugou enjoyed the reactions he'd get from his random nicknames to people.

Just like he enjoyed how the nickname 'thrapist' made Kyoya uncomfortable.

Annoying little shitty brat, who did he think he wa-

Kyoya breathed. Breath, and release. There. Let go. That was the danger of her Quirk, and why she never did make it the heroics department. It wouldn't do for a hero to start cackling evilly next to the bad guy.

Enough about that, though. She had a client to be concentrating on. Kyoya sat back, merely observing the boy before her. It wouldn't take long. It never did.

Katsuki squirmed under her gaze, red eyes glaring up at her past his fringe.

"The hell do you want, bitch? Stop staring at me like that!" Katsuki barked.

Kyoya decided to stare at him just a bit longer. Small explosions began to crackle from the child's clenched fists. Kyoya really wished he would stop that. While it was true that his body had developed a natural defense to his own Quirk, it was best not to put that to too heavy a test.

"You're worried about him." Kyoya pointed out.

Katsuki froze.

Then, in an instant, the brat was up, arms flailing about.

"What? Are you insane? Me, worried about that shitty nerd? Why would I be bothered by that extra, huh?" Katsuki's lying skills could use work. Kyoya didn't even need her Quirk for this one. "Why would I be worried about him! I'm gonna leave him in the fucking dirt, where a broken thing like him belongs!" Katsuki all but roared.

Kyoya easily wiped spit from her face.

Katsuki's face was unrepentant. The pang of embarrassment, though, rang, even above the rest of the boys tumbling emotions.

This kid really liked to suppress them. That was a bad idea. The more he shoved them down, the more chaotic they were going to become. They were already becoming chaotic. Despite their sessions, Katsuki Bakugou was as stubborn as they came, hard headed to a fault.

Last year, he'd been ranting about how 'stupid Deku' was going to get himself killed if he kept up this stupid dream.

Now, he was ranting about how 'stupid Deku' was broken and should be tossed away with yesterday's trash.

Kyoya frowned at Katsuki.

"Why do you think he's broken?"

Katsuki scoffed, as if her response was the stupidest thing in the world. Kyoya didn't relent, though. Instead, she arched a single eyebrow into the air, and stared. Staring at Katsuki tended to get the best results. Despite how much the boy liked attention, admonishing glares typically resulted in him squirming before snapping.

Katsuki hissed at her.

Bingo.

"Of course he's broken! He doesn't have a Quirk!"

"Neither does 20 percent of the population, Katsuki."

Katsuki scoffed at that.

"Most of those are adults, grams." Katsuki retaliated. Kyoya carefully kept the offense off her face at the insinuation about her age. "Among kids, though? Deku is one in a billion." Katsuki exaggerated. "People without Quirks are getting rarer and rarer. And, besides, that shitty nerd has two parents with Quirks, so why doesn't he have one? 'Cause he's broken." Katsuki concluded.

One would expect a victorious drawl. That couldn't be further from the truth.

The boy didn't shout. Didn't scream. Wasn't loud or brash, as was his usual demenous. Kyoya would have very much preferred it. She would have prefered it as opposed to the utterly lost look in his eyes. The boy looked away, head downcast.

He wasn't even bothering with the mask. Why would he, around someone like Kyoya? Still, masks made people feel confident, feel better in their own skin. Katuski's mask made him feel safe, and the mask drops when one starts to lose strength, lose will.

A hand on Katsuki's shoulder made his head snap up.

"It's okay to be scared. And, it's okay to reach out."

This was the very lesson Kyoya had tried to impart on Shouto not a week earlier. That boy had yet to come back and, judging by the tumbling emotions rolling within Katsuki, he was about to go the same route.

Or, rather, attempt it before his mother dragged him right back, kicking and screaming. Sure enough, the boy shot up, screaming.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME! DON'T GO THINKING THAT SHITTY QUIRK OF YOURS MEANS YOU UNDERSTAND ANYTHING! IT'S MY LIFE, NOW STAY THE FUCK OUT!"

With that rather loud declaration, Kyoya watched as yet another child stormed right out of her office.

Ah. The joys of working with preteens.

Which would, of course, only get worse when they actually reached their teens.

Oh holy hell, she needed a goddamn drink from the idea alone.


End file.
